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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26734228">Camp RWBY</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lord_Byron_Mudkippington/pseuds/Lord_Byron_Mudkippington'>Lord_Byron_Mudkippington</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Renora's mentioned once</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:01:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26734228</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lord_Byron_Mudkippington/pseuds/Lord_Byron_Mudkippington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>By a stroke of luck, Ruby gets to go to the prestigious Camp Rock. Excited for a summer full of fun and music, she isn't prepared to meet a girl whom everyone says is bad news.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Camp RWBY</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So yes, I did decide to write a Camp Rock x RWBY AU. Makes perfect sense to me. Originally, Weiss was supposed to be purely Tess Tyler, but somehow she became a mix of Tess and Shane Gray.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So, the sign-ups for Camp Rock are opening..." The Xiao-Long/Rose family was sitting at the kitchen table, eating breakfast. It was during a lull in conversation that Ruby decided to bring up the sign-ups. When she heard about a camp that was all about a summer full of music, she was beyond excited. She immediately wanted to go more than she wanted to do anything else. However, there was one problem: money. Camp wasn't free, and her family weren't exactly well off.</p><p></p><div>
  <p>"I'm sorry, Ruby, but you know we don't have the money to let you go to that camp." Her dad let her down as easily as he could, but that didn't do much to relieve the sting. Ruby nodded and took a sip of her orange juice, trying not to show how disappointed she was. It wasn't her parents' fault: they both worked as hard as they could to provide for her and Yang. She was just disappointed about the situation, that's all.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Don't worry Rubes, I'll fill ya in on camp. I'll text ya every day if you want." Yang had gotten to go to Camp Rock last year, as they had scraped together enough money to get her signed up. Ruby had been super jealous at first, and honestly she still was, but she understood that being the older sister could pay dividends. Besides, Yang helped pay for it by putting it her own money from her part time job waiting tables at a bar she wasn't old enough to be working at.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ah, Yang, we don't really have the funds to send you either." There was good ol' dad to splash his fiery eldest daughter with cold water.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Whaaat?! Aw man, lame..." Ruby couldn't help but giggle seeing her sister going from excited to sulking in five seconds flat, but the laughter died off when she realized the situation they were in. Now she wouldn't even get to live vicariously through Yang, which was more of a downer than she realized. She had known asking would likely lead to rejection, which made her feel guiltier about the tense silence that fell over the table.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>They all finished breakfast in silence, then she and Yang headed out on their walk to school. She tried to put on a happy face, but thinking about how she was likely never going to get to go to Camp Rock really had her down. She didn't even try to hide her disappointment as she walked side by side with Yang, swinging her backpack around to her front so she could unzip it and pull out her lyric book. At least these negative vibes would make for some good lyrical material.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Aww, it'll be okay, Rubes. There's always next year." Yang gently punched her shoulder, trying to cheer her up, but she could only give her a wavering smile in return. Realizing that Ruby wasn't fooled by such a long-shot prospect, Yang dropped her smile. "I know you're disappointed. I am too. This means I won't get to drum with that cool Faunus girl again. You remember Blake, right?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh, so that was the girl you sent me five hundred texts about last summer." Ruby rolled her eyes, remembering how bogged down her phone became with the plethora of pictures Yang would send of Blake, most of which did not seem to be taken with her knowledge. It was almost like she was <em>pining </em>vicariously through Yang rather than playing in a band. "You know love's totally lame, right?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"And how do you think our parents got together? A contractual obligation?" Yang ruffled her hair, making her duck out of the way and scowl at her. "Look, Blake and I aren't <em>dating</em>, okay? Even if we <em>would </em>make for an amazing couple. Sometimes I think she just wants to make out and fake out..." That last part came out as more of a bitter muttering, but she perked back up when she realized she had said that within earshot of her sister. "Anyway, you're gonna eventually meet a girl who drives your heart wild. Maybe not anytime soon, but you will. Then you'll come to me like, 'Oh Yang, what do I do?! I've never kissed a girl before and this <em>totally hot </em>girl wants me! Whatever will I do?!'" She put on an obnoxiously high-pitched accent that didn't sound anything close to Ruby.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh knock it off!" She shoulder-bumped Yang and stuck her tongue out. "That is not going to happen. I'm gonna be a free Ruby forever, so <em>you're</em> going to have to give mom and dad grandkids. Though I think you might have to sell them on adoption." She finally cracked a legitimate smile as Yang groaned: they both knew that Yang didn't want to have that conversation with their parents.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Don't even joke about that, Rubesty. Hmm, although... Do you think I'd look good with cat ears? Oh wait, is that offensive?" Yang seemed to be having a conversation more with herself than Ruby, so she just rolled her eyes and started tuning her out. Pulling her pen out from the metal spiral of her notebook, she flipped it open to a new page and started jotting some lyrics down.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>I'm stuck in these same conditions</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>I wish life gave me a new rendition</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>Staple wings to my shoulder blades</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>How many nights do I have to pray?...</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>Two days later, Ruby woke up late. It was a weekend, so she was allowed to do that if she wanted. Eventually she was going to have to get a job and wake up early all the time, so she might as well enjoy the sleep while she could still afford it. She rolled out of bed and trudged into the kitchen in her pajamas, hoping there was something in the fridge to eat. However, she was intercepted by Yang, who was fully dressed and bouncing with excitement.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ruby! Look!" She shoved two pieces of paper in Ruby's face, letting them go and forcing her to snatch them out of the air. It was way too early to be this excited about paper. How did Yang even function properly in the morning? Then she actually took a look at the papers, and it all made sense.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"No way... Yang, don't prank me like this." In her hands were two passes to Camp Rock, and she was positive it was an elaborate joke. Yang was known for her jokes, but this one went too far.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"It's not a prank, Rubes! Mom! Mom, come tell her!" Summer came out from the living room, fixing her warm smile on her daughters. Ruby looked at her hopefully, praying that she was going to say it was actually for real.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I know how much you two wanted to go to camp, so I called up the organizers to see if there was anything they might need. They told me that one of their cooks bailed at the last minute, and they needed a replacement. While I may not be a world famous chef, I told them I could fill in for them. In exchange, they said you two could get discounted passes." Ruby's eyes widened, her jaw dropped. It was true... She would get to go to Camp Rock...</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yes! Oh my God, thank you mom!" She leapt forward and hugged her mom tightly, crying in happiness. Her dream was coming true, and she was ecstatic. Yang joined in on the hug, both sisters joyously thanking their mom for getting them in. Then Ruby wiggled out of the hug, remembering that the time to head to camp was coming up soon. "I gotta go practice my guitar!" She wasn't a great guitar player, but she was learning, and she needed some way to show her worth at the camp.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>This was going to be the best summer of her life!</p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
  <p>"I can't believe this is happening!" Ruby was standing in front of the camp entrance, holding her suitcase in one hand while her guitar was slung over her shoulder. She didn't even try to contain her excitement, bouncing on her toes while waiting for Yang to catch up. Luckily she only had to carry her suitcase, since the camp had drum kits available. That rickety thing Yang had rebuilt would've fallen apart on the ride up there.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Believe it, sis." Yang finally caught up, grinning from ear to ear. "This is where dreams are made! If your dream is playing music at a summer camp." That dream worked for her. She wasn't gonna complain. She was gonna <em>compliment </em>it every step of the way. They both started heading for the front, but were stopped by their mom, who was lagging behind.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hold on, you two. I don't think they're going to allow you in without these." She held up the passes, laughing at the matching frowns on her daughters' faces. They were both so eager to get in there that anything keeping them waiting was a hindrance, even if it was their mom. Knowing that, she handed Yang the passes, and she was off, wheeling her suitcase behind her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hey, wait for me!" Ruby took off after her, moving slower because of the guitar case slapping against her back. Yang reached the doors first, flinging them wide open. Still, they were nearly closed when Ruby got there, shoulder bumping them to let her inside. She saw Yang heading right for the front desk, which meant she was going there too. Her adventure was about to begin!</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"We are here!" Yang dramatically slapped down the passes in front of the confused clerk, who just took them and looked them over. He nodded and handed them back, along with two pieces of paper. Yang grabbed them with a "Thank you!", giving one of the papers to Ruby to look over. There wasn't much on there: just instructions on where they would stay for a couple hours until they would get sorted into their cabins.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Time to meet people! I'm so ready!" This time it was Ruby who took the lead, heading out the doors on the opposite side and coming out into a clearing. "Woah..." Everything looked so perfect! There were multiple buildings made out of wood encircling a beautiful grassy plain, surrounded on the far end by a lake. There seemed to be a more forested area on the other side, though the lake appeared to be too large to ford without a boat.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She walked over to a fountain in the middle of the common area, looking down into the water at her smiling reflection. This was it: she had really made it. Her dream of standing in front of an audience and playing the music she had written, putting the words that meant something to her out there, was going to become a reality. Her school life wasn't great, and she didn't have many friends in general, much less ones where she could share her passion. This was a new, exciting opportunity for her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You seem happy, Rubes." Yang was at her side, a hand on her shoulder. She was smiling too, so clearly she wasn't the only one who was happy.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Of course I am! I've wanted to come here since I first heard about it!" That was just two years ago, but that was a long time to a fifteen-year-old. All those months waiting were washed away now, and she was just happy to be there. Beaming, she headed for where the cafeteria was. That was where the sheet of paper said everyone should meet up, and they had quite a bit of time to mingle with the other campgoers. That was something Ruby was really excited about. She didn't have to be the same lame Ruby Rose who couldn't make friends in one of the smallest places on Remnant. Here, she could be whoever she wanted, and she wanted to be cool.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>However, the moment she stepped into the cafeteria with Yang, her social anxiety kicked itself into high gear. The cafeteria was full of other kids, the sounds of their mixed chatter hurting her ears. She didn't count them all, but there had to be thirty or forty people there. She slipped behind Yang, trying to use her as a shield from their gazes. So much for being cool.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Aww c'mon Rubes, they aren't gonna bite." Flashing her a big grin, Yang took her hand and started leading her towards the back wall. "Let's go find Blake! She can be your first friend, and I can vouch for her." The two of them were close enough that Yang knew of Ruby's anxieties and insecurities around other people. As much as she tried to encourage Ruby to find friends herself, she knew that her own stamp of approval was useful in these situations.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The sisters went around a host of half-full and completely full tables until they reached one that was conspicuously empty. At a table that could probably fit ten or more people, there were only three. At the end of the bench, as far away from the other two as possible, was a cat faunus that Ruby instantly recognized as Blake. She had seen enough pictures of her to know her on sight.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Blakey! It'sss Yangarang!" Letting go of Ruby's hand and her suitcase, she jumped onto the bench next to Blake, immediately getting stares from the other two girls at the other side of the table. Blake noticed it, and she immediately ducked her head as if she didn't want to be seen. Ruby couldn't blame her, as she was feeling some secondhand embarrassment from Yang's boisterous entrance.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yes, I'm sure the entire camp knows you're here." Sighing, Blake looked back up to face Yang. Despite her annoyance, Ruby could see the soft smile on her face. The two of them really <em>had </em>missed each other. Well, if Yang wanted to find romance at camp, she could do that. <em>She </em>was there to rock and/or roll! "Ah, this is your sister, then?" Now Blake was looking at her, making her freeze up.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yup! This is Ruby! C'mere Rubes." She waved Ruby over, who reluctantly tried to sit next to Yang. Instead, Yang scooted over and pulled Ruby in between herself and Blake, giving her hair a playful ruffling. "It's Ruby's first time at camp, and she's very excited! I told you she's an incredible writer, right? And I've told you what a kick-butt bassist Blake is, right?" She looked down at Ruby, giving her a supportive smile. She was trying to convey without words that Ruby was safe there with the two of them.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Uh, yeah. You've only mentioned her a hundred times since mom said we could come here." She turned to look at Blake, hoping that she wouldn't get tongue-tied or say something stupid. Thankfully, Blake seemed nice enough. Her expression was calm but curious, waiting for her to say something, possibly to properly introduce herself. "I'm Ruby Rose. It's nice to meet you, Blake." She held out her hand to shake, which Blake took with a firm, tanned hand.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Blake Belladonna. It's nice to meet you too." Blake's placid countenance broke for a moment as she gave Ruby a quick smile. "I'm curious about something, if you don't mind me asking. Your last name is Rose, but Yang's is Xiao Long. The two of you don't look alike either. Please let me know if that's something you don't feel comfortable speaking about."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Nah, it's not like that. We have the same dad, but different moms. We got our moms' hair, but Yang got our dad's color. My name's really Ruby Xiao Long, at least on my birth certificate, but I like using my mom's last name. My dad's cool with it." She wasn't ashamed of her real name or anything: far from it. It just didn't seem right to her. It felt like a mouthful, especially if she was going to become a rock star. Ruby Rose just sounded right. It was alliterative and all.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I see." Blake nodded, her gaze moving to the guitar case on Ruby's back. "You play guitar, then?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Mhm! I mean, I'm still learning, but I'm getting the hang of the chords and stuff." She wished that she could sing. That'd be so much easier than learning an instrument. Alas, her voice was not very good: better than Yang's, but not by much. If she was going to get her lyrics out there, it would have to be by creating a band and finding someone else to sing her words. Hopefully she could find someone like that at camp.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"We'll form a band this year and kick so much butt at Final Jam! With me on bass, you on guitar, and Blakey on drums, we're gonna win it for sure!" Yang hugged Ruby tightly against her, stars in her eyes at the thought of winning. Ruby could see those stars too. The thought of standing up on stage and hoisting the trophy that Yang had told her about was her top goal for sure.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Who's going to sing?" Blake decided it was time to throw cold water on their little party. "I can't sing while I'm playing bass: it messes up my concentration. And you sing like a choking bird." Yang placed a hand over her heart, as if she had been stabbed by Blake's words. "What about you, Ruby?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Uh, I'm not a great singer... But I'm sure we'll find someone who can! This <em>is </em>a camp for musicians, after all." She was sure they would find someone, and they would be cool and mesh well with their little group. It would be perfect! Which is why she was secretly worried about it. Things ending up perfect was not exactly a given in her life. She could only hope that Yang's natural charisma would draw someone in for them.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"That's right!" Yang echoed her sister's sentiment, patting her on the shoulders. "Let's just worry about getting in the same cabin first. You wanna room with us, Rubes?" That was a good question. If she was more confident in her desire to be cool, she could say no and ride it out with a group of strangers. Hanging out with Yang was always fun, but it seemed less fun when it would involve being a third wheel while she and Blake made goo-goo eyes at each other. On the other hand, she did <em>not </em>have enough confidence in herself. The thought of spending an entire summer with strangers freaked her out. She wasn't ready to jump in that quickly.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yeah, let's do it! We're gonna be roomies!" She was willing to risk the third-wheeling when she at least knew Yang and could trust her friendship with Blake. It would be easier to spend her downtime decompressing with them then go out and try to search out some new, cool friends. At least if she made a fool of herself, she would never see any of them again after the summer was over.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Until the camp director came in, the three of them chatted amicably about how excited they were for camp. Blake was the most subdued of the three, but she made mention of something that was more exciting than anything else the Xiao Long sisters might have said. She casually mentioned she had a friend who hadn't showed up yet, but should get there at any moment. When prompted, she also casually mentioned she could sing a little.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Why was this not something you mentioned before?!" Yang reached forward and started shaking Blake's shoulder, making Ruby yelp as she was bent forward. "I didn't know you had a friend that could sing! This is perfect! That's our singer right there, right?! We've got a band! They've gotta room with us!" She seemed a lot more excited than Blake, who suddenly seemed very uncomfortable.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Uh, well..." Whatever she wanted to say was cut off when someone sat down on the other side of the table. The three of them looked up to see a girl with freckles all over her face and arms staring back with knitted eyebrows. "Oh, uh, Yang, Ruby, this is Ilia. We're, uh, we're friends, and we grew up together." Ruby noticed Ilia visibly wince, but she wasn't sure why.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hi there! I'm Yang, and this is my sister Ruby." Without hesitation, Yang introduced herself and offered a hand to shake. Ilia took it, but did not seem happy to do so. Yang had to have known that there was some clear tension at the table, but she stubbornly refused to acknowledge it. "It's nice to meet ya!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hi." That was all she said. She didn't even appear to believe it was nice to meet Yang as well. That knocked a couple notches off of Yang's smile, though it didn't completely fade. She seemed determined to overpower this girl with her sunny disposition, but the dark cloud that appeared to hang over her was good at blocking out the sun. "So this is Yang, Blake?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Uh, yeah..." Ruby was confused. Blake had referred to Ilia as a friend, but they didn't seem to want to be within fifty feet of each other. She knew there was more to this than what she could see from the surface, but she had no idea <em>what </em>that was. It wasn't like she could ask them, as she really didn't know either of them and sticking her nose into other people's business always made her uncomfortable.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The four of them sat there in an uncomfortable silence, looking around at each other as if they were in a standoff. Even Yang couldn't keep up her smile. Once she started frowning, Ilia seemed to take that as her time to leave. "I'll see you later, Blake." She stood up and walked away, looking over her shoulder once before disappearing among the crowd of other future campers. Or maybe that was rockers. Camper rockers?</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Well, that was something." Yang laughed awkwardly, trying to downplay how uncomfortable that had been for everyone involved. "What was that all about?" Before Blake could answer, or before she could try and deflect, a voice rose above the cafeteria, silencing the chatter.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Good afternoon, everyone. I am the camp director, Ms. Goodwitch. I welcome you all to Camp Rock." A rising cheer echoed through the crowd, with Ruby and Yang joining in. It was easier to let the cheers wash away the strangeness of that interaction with Ilia. "For those who are returning, welcome back. I hope you all will do your best to guide our new campers in how things are run around here. Of course, myself and our counselors will always be here to answer any questions you have, whether you're new or have been here before.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>For our newcomers, I shall explain a few of the rules. There will be no tolerance for bullying or any forms of harassment. We have a ten PM curfew, after which you should all stay in your cabins. While we cannot force you to sleep, we <em>can </em>make you stay in your beds all night." There was some laughter at that, which she let die down before continuing. "We want you all to have fun, so please make sure to be nice to your fellow campers and keep the spirit of this camp alive. Now, are you all ready to rock?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"YEAH!!!" It sounded like everybody was cheering now, making Ruby's ears ring. This time, she didn't mind, though. Hearing that speech made her remember why she had been so excited in the first place. She was at Camp Rock! This was her dream and it had come true! She had every right to be excited, social anxiety be damned. This was her summer to enjoy, and she was going to do that.</p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
  <p>Evening came, and Ruby was in her cabin with her three summer roommates. Just as expected, she had Yang and Blake, while the final spot was filled by a girl named Nora. She was super excitable, even more than Ruby herself, and had been talking almost nonstop since they had introduced themselves to her. It wasn't <em>bad</em> necessarily: she was a good, happy presence to have in their group. However, it could get overwhelming, and it got to be too much for Ruby's anxiety-ridden self. So she excused herself to walk around the central area alone. Hopefully Yang would forgive her for leaving them with Nora.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>It was really peaceful outside. There were people there, but there weren't enough to make Ruby want to go back inside. The sun was setting below the forest beyond the lake, making for a really picturesque moment. If she was interested in photography, she would definitely take a picture. That wasn't her bag, though. She was all about the music, man. Maybe she needed to write a song about sunsets or something.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>By the lake, she saw a lone girl facing the water. That was a curious site, as the few other people in the area were in groups of two or three. She hadn't noticed any solo acts around the cafeteria either. Not that she had wanted to pay much attention at that time. Curiosity overtook her, and she started heading down to the lake. As she got closer, she wondered if this was supposed to be a private moment for this girl. It <em>was</em> in public, so there couldn't be <em>that </em>much privacy, but still, it was a common courtesy thing or something.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>That didn't mean she was going to stop being curious. She would just be careful with how she approached her. By careful, she of course went tiptoeing down near the lake, where she hid herself behind a cluster of bushes next to a bench. It made her feel like a kid again, playing spy games with Yang in the neighborhood. Peering out from her hiding place, she got a closer look at the girl in question.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She was pretty. That was the first thing that came to mind, which was not something she ever thought before. She stood by the lakeside in a pure white dress, a gentle breeze fluttering the hem around her knees. Her hair was just as white, tied up neatly in a ponytail that went halfway down her back. How to perfectly describe this girl... She had no idea. That wasn't something she had ever needed to think of before. Not like this.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Her eyes appeared to be closed, though the sunset gave a sort of ethereal blur to her visage. What it <em>couldn't </em>hide was her singing. It was quiet, but Ruby could hear it from where she was hiding. It was <em>beautiful</em>. She had only heard singing that perfect on professional songs. Her mind was spinning so much she couldn't hear the words she was singing, but she felt captivated all the same.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She hid herself completely again, putting a hand to her chest. Her heart was beating faster than it should be. What was this? What was happening to her? She tried to think of any of the medical signs she had learned in school, and the only conclusion she could come to was that she was having a heart attack. This siren lady was giving her complications!</p>
</div><div>
  <p>As quietly as she could, she snuck away from the scene, constantly looking over her shoulder to make sure the siren lady wasn't looking at her. When she was a good-enough distance away, she broke into a run, heading full steam back to her cabin. She slammed into the door, surely causing the others inside a fright as she fumbled for her key and unlocked the door. Indeed, the other girls were staring in her direction as she got inside and shut the door hard.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ruby? What's wrong?" Yang came over to her, concern written all over her face. Ruby immediately wanted to blurt out what had happened, but she didn't want to do it in front of Blake and Nora. She wasn't embarrassed, exactly, but she didn't know what was happening to her, and she wasn't sure she wanted to talk about it in front of strangers.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Outside," she muttered, grabbing onto Yang's hand. Without question, she nodded and let Ruby lead her outside. She was familiar with how Ruby's anxieties manifested, and she could imagine that she didn't want to talk about whatever had happened in front of Blake or Nora. Of course, <em>she </em>trusted Blake, but she didn't know Nora, and Ruby didn't know either. She could respect that.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Okay Ruby, what's going on." The two of them walked a short distance from the cabin so they couldn't be heard through the wall. Yang crossed her arms, frowning at the worried expression on Ruby's face. What in the world had happened?</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Okay, so I came outside just to get some air, and I saw this really pretty girl by the lake. She was singing and her voice was incredible! It's amazing, and she's so pretty, and she should totally be our singer!" She was rambling, which tended to happen when she got too emotional. At least she wasn't crying at her own birthday party and rambling about wanting to adopt every feral dog. "But she did something to me! Just looking at her was giving me a heart attack! Am I dying, Yang?! I don't wanna die before Final Jam!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Wow, Ruby..." Yang's concern was gone in an instant, replaced with an all-knowing smirk. "You aren't having a heart attack, and you aren't going to die. Believe me, I know. I've had the same thing happen to me." Ruby's eyes widened in concern, wondering if it was a genetic thing. Were all Xiao Longs dispositioned to have this happen to them? "It happened the first time I talked to Blake."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Wait a minute..." Ruby started to put the pieces together, and she didn't like the puzzle forming in front of her. "Hold on a minute! Yang! I am <em>not </em>in love with this girl! I don't even know who she is!" She was blushing as she angrily refuted Yang's implications. How could Yang think she had fallen in love with someone whom she had just seen? That was <em>not </em>what this was!</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Uh huh... Your pulse quickens, your body feels warm... Must just be heat stroke, huh?" Ruby did not appreciate the joke, and would much rather deal with heat stroke than even consider the possibility that she had suddenly gained a crush, or God forbid was in <em>love</em>. That was taking things too far. "Where is this girl anyway? Where's the future Mrs. Rose?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Har de har har." Blushing deeper, Ruby chose to ignore that little remark and pointed towards the lake. She was still there, her back to them as she stared off into... well, whatever she was staring at. "That's her, right there. The pretty girl with white hair." She turned back to Yang, whose entire demeanor had changed in an instant. Rather than the happy, teasing appearance she had just moments before, she was tense and scowling. "Yang? What's wrong?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ruby... How could you fall for Weiss Schnee?!" She grabbed Ruby's shoulders and shook her, a fire in her eyes as she bored deep into her sister's soul. "There are so many cute girls here, and you choose the most hateful primadonna in the entire camp?!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Okay, first off, I have <em>not </em>fallen for her! Stop saying that!" Ruby ducked out of Yang's grasp, which wasn't an easy task. "Second, what are you talking about?! Her?" She pointed back at the girl, eyes wide in disbelief. "No way! She's too pretty to be what you're talking about." That was probably a bad line of thinking, but she just couldn't believe someone who looked so good and sang so well could be a 'hateful primadonna'. It sounded like Yang being super hyperbolic.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh Ruby, you've become blinded by love." She was about to jump on Yang and start going King Kong on her back. "I'm gonna have to tell you about Weiss, then. Come on, we need to go somewhere quieter." Yang started walking further away, and Ruby only hesitated for a second before following her. She looked over as Weiss's form grew smaller, until she was a faceless being farther down the lake bend.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Look, you're gonna hear it from someone eventually, so it's best you hear it from me." Yang was being serious, and despite her doubts, Ruby felt like she needed to at least take what was being said into consideration. Her sister wasn't one to lie, especially to her. "Weiss is bad news. She's rude to everyone, even her own friends. She's also really rich and just flaunts her wealth and status around. Also, her and her entire family hate the Faunus and treat them poorly in their businesses."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Woah woah woah, slow down! That's a lot of information!" Ruby plopped down on the grass, tapping her fingers as she ticked off everything Yang had told her. "Okay, so she's mean, rich, and <em>racist</em>? Yang, are you sure about this? Those are some real big accusations." People could be mean: people could be mean and rich. There weren't many - <em>any </em>by her count - rich people in the small area she came from, so she didn't have many interactions with people well above her own means. However, that was more than the amount of bigots she was surrounded with. She couldn't even imagine someone being at the camp and having such hate in their hearts for the Faunus. It wasn't like she was ignorant to the plight many Faunus faced. She just found it hard to believe they'd allow someone who felt that way to stay there, especially with the whole 'no harassment' policy.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Sorry, but yeah, I am. She said some <em>very </em>rude things to Blake and she refused to interact with any of the other Faunus last year. She doesn't even try to hide it, but no one will report her because they're scared of her. She ain't even that imposing," she muttered, crossing her arms tightly. "Honestly, she's shorter than <em>you </em>without her heels. If I was with her alone, I'd punch her right in the babymaker."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oookay..." Ruby sighed and shook her head. That was a lot to take in, but she trusted Yang, which meant she wouldn't want anything to do with Weiss. She couldn't stand people who were like that. Being mean was one thing, but hating the Faunus just for being who they were? That wasn't something she could ever support. Now she felt guilty that she wanted to try and invite her into their little group in the first place. "I'm sorry for doubting you, Yang."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"It's okay, Rubes. I know it's a lot to take in." She offered her hand to Ruby, who took it and got back up on her feet. "Don't worry, though. If she ever messes with you, I'll take care of her. She keeps her distance whenever I'm around. I bet she's scared of girls who can actually kick her butt." Laughing, she wrapped an arm around Ruby's shoulders and led her back to their cabin.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Thanks Yang." She laughed as well, but she couldn't override the annoyance with herself that was plaguing her mind. She had to believe that Yang had been joking before, and she really didn't have feelings for Weiss upon first sight. If there was any inkling of truth to it, she would have to seriously question her tastes in girls.</p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
  <p>The next couple of weeks flew by faster than Ruby could blink. It was true what they said about time flying when you're having fun. She was immersed in all of the musical teachings the camp had to offer, which was a godsend for her guitar playing. It hadn't been too long, but she already felt much more comfortable with her fingers on the strings. She even was being taught how to transition from an acoustic to an electric guitar, which was <em>boss</em>. The only guitar she had was a hand-me-down acoustic guitar from Yang's Uncle Qrow, and transitioning to one of the electric variety was awesome.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>However, things were getting pretty tense in her writing sessions. Within the group of kids who wanted to learn about writing lyrics, she was shocked to see Weiss there. She had taken a chair in the front, on the leftmost side of the classroom, and most others gave her a wide berth. There were only a couple other people who sat next to her, and she could only imagine they were the same as her. It made her nervous knowing they were going to be in the same class together. She had already been dealing with taking guitar lessons with a bunch of strangers and no Yang to cling to, but at least she was often having too much fun to worry too much. This was going to be more difficult.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>At least she could stay on the other side of the classroom and keep to herself, jotting away in her notebook and focusing on turning her thoughts into words. It became easier to deal with everything the more weeks that passed by. She thought about how it was just like being at school. Everybody was there for their own purpose, and they weren't there just to stare at and judge her. Drilling that into her head every day made it so the tenseness in her shoulders began to vanish, and she was able to walk around the camp without throwing her hood over her head and pretending to be a ghost.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>In fact, and this was going to blow people's minds, she was making friends! Not many of them, but she was finally getting to flex that 'please talk to me' muscle without seeming utterly desperate. Just like with Blake, some of them came to her via other people. Despite only having known her for a short time, Nora had easily integrated herself into their trio, her enthusiasm and badass drumming getting Yang on her side pretty quickly. She also brought over Ren, a more classically-inspired musician whom Nora called her 'boyfriend since birth.' For Blake's part, she brought over a fellow Faunus named Sun, who seemed to treat everything like one big joke. Again, it seemed the camp was feeding them people who were all after Yang's own heart.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She got her own for real friend, though! In fact, he was somehow <em>more </em>awkward around other people than she was. Jaune Arc did not seem to have many friends there either, and he always seemed evasive about what instrument he played, but his struggles drew Ruby towards him. If they were both struggling to make friends, they could be friends, then! He was her first friend at camp that she sought out herself. Even if Yang teased her relentlessly for trying to start a loser society, she was proud of herself for stepping out of her comfort zone to do that.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Now she had a fun-sized group of people whom she could talk to and play music together with, and it made her happy. She was having the time of her life, and she felt like nothing could stop her. That was, until a month into her lyric writing class, where they were tasked with pairing off and sharing something they had written that really made them feel proud. There was nothing wrong with that, but... group projects? Ruby <em>hated </em>those.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She watched as everyone started leaning over and nabbing their friends for partners, pulling their chairs closer with smiles on their faces. As she saw everyone pairing up, and no one approaching her, she began to panic. She could see Weiss sitting there, still facing the front and not even looking at the going-ons around the room. The two people sitting next to her had already paired up, and it was becoming increasingly obvious who the last two left standing would be at this dance.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Though she stood up, making a last ditch effort to find one other lonely person, it was too late. "Alright, does everyone have a partner?" In response, Ruby sat down as fast as she could, clamming up and hoping that somehow their teacher would somehow think she was with someone. However, Weiss had to ruin it all by putting her hand up.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Okay, then let's see..." Ruby turned away from the teacher, desperately staring down at her notebook. They wouldn't know she was alone if she pretended she didn't exist- "Ah, Ruby." <em>'Dangit!' </em>"Why don't you come partner up with Weiss?" She had to suppress a groan as she slowly stood up, gathering her notebook and walking over towards Weiss. Glancing to the rest of the class, she saw a number of them looking at her with pity. That was a good sign.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She sat down in the seat behind Weiss that hadn't been taken, watching with trepidation as Weiss stood up to turn her own desk around. As she did, and Ruby got to see her face fully for the first time, she gasped. There was a faded scar across her left eye, the blue clouded as both eyes stared at her. Immediately Weiss's face tightened up, and Ruby realized what she had done. Guilt surged through her, and she started babbling desperately in an attempt to course correct.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to stare! It's not like it's bad or anything! You can't even notice it!" She was whispering as loudly as she dared, not wanting anyone to hear her. However, she distinctly heard laughter coming from the two people next to her, the ones who had been sitting next to Weiss. Her face grew red with embarrassment, and it was not helped by the death glare Weiss was giving her. "I'm so sorry, I-"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Stop your blathering." She immediately shut up, intimidated by the angry gaze Weiss was giving her. It made her feel small. Of course, she couldn't exactly <em>blame </em>Weiss for being angry. She probably dealt with too many people gawking at her scar. "Here, take it." She slammed her own notebook on Ruby's lap, making her wince. Not wanting to get into an argument in front of everyone, whom she already felt were all staring at them, she handed over her notebook and tried to never look Weiss in the eye again.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Unlike the hurried scribbles that she called writing, Weiss had extremely neat penmanship. She wrote in a flourishing cursive, which Ruby was not super great at reading. She tried her best, though, not wanting to do anything else to make Weiss mad at her. There was no way for her to take back her surprised exclamation at Weiss's scar, but she could at least stop being a spaz and get out of the class alive.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>I am the diamond on your avarice finger</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>Your scorn scars and lingers</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>But only diamonds can cut themselves</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>And I refuse to be anyone else</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ruby read through the lyrics, sensing an increasing amount of sorrow and anger the further down she went. It actually scared her at times, which was both impressive and worrying that Weiss's words could elicit such feelings inside her. She looked up at Weiss, who was still reading over her lyrics. As much as she tried to avoid it, she kept looking at the scar. What had happened to her? She wanted to know so badly, but it was clearly a sore subject that she had no business asking about.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'm surprised." Weiss's voice jerked her out of her mental triathlon, forcing her to focus on what was happening in front of her. How was she supposed to look Weiss in the eyes without crossing a line?! "These are good lyrics. I didn't expect someone else at this camp to have any sort of competency." She started dragging her capped pen across the sheet of paper, pausing at certain lines that she seemed to re-read. "You have a way of describing a sense of loneliness within the crowds that people would find relatable. You actually have some talent, Ruby." </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Weiss was smiling. Her entire face lightened up, and it was like Ruby was looking at a completely different person. She was hit so hard with feelings that she swore someone must've come up behind her and clocked her with a chair. There was this absolutely beautiful girl sitting there, telling her that she was a good writer, and smiling like the sun poking out from a winter sky. It was a girl that was apparently a hateful terror, but in that moment, she couldn't possibly believe that was true. There was no way someone so breathtaking could be a bad person.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I, uh... Thank you..." She started to blush, struggling to keep her composure. "Your lyrics are good too! I could really sense the anger in them, like you're..." She flubbed her words, realizing that she didn't want to say what she had been about to say out loud. As badly as her portrait of Weiss had been colored, the story she was getting from the lyrics painted a much different picture. "Like, uh, like the person in the lyrics is going through incredible turmoil with someone."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You noticed, then." There was a faint smile on Weiss's face. Ruby immediately felt her heart doing something weird in her chest. Or maybe she was making that up. "Yes, it is a touch darker than what I usually sing. Perhaps too direct." She seemed to ruminate on that thought, looking down at Ruby's lyrics as the thoughts churned in her mind. "I will think more on that. Thank you, Ruby."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh, uh, you're welcome." She wanted to smile back at Weiss, but her feelings were making it hard to do normal facial expressions. Feeling her heart pounding in her chest, she kept thinking of what Yang had said. Did she really have <em>those </em>kinds of feelings for Weiss? Was it <em>love at first sight</em>? No, it couldn't be! ... Right? She couldn't have those sorts of feelings for Weiss. She was apparently the devil, but... she didn't seem so devilish. A bit rough around the edges, yes, but she seemed okay. Yang had been so sure, though, and the things she was accused of were pretty bad...</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She wanted to bring it up, but how was she supposed to do that delicately? <em>'Hey Weiss, I heard that you hate the Faunus. Is that true?' </em>That sounded like a terrifying way of going about it. They were surrounded by people as well, and that was a one on one question. Like she'd ever get a chance to speak with Weiss alone. They were leagues apart in so many ways.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>If only she could write her questions in lyrical form and give them to Weiss. That seemed a lot easier to do. Alas, she would never feel confident enough to do that.</p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
  <p>Ruby was alone in the cabin. Yang and Blake were in their respective lessons while Nora was somewhere unknown. If she had to guess, she would say Nora was either scarfing down food in the cafeteria or hiding behind the cabins with Ren. The thought made her groan. At least they were all out so she had time to herself. She had been trying to figure out how she felt about Weiss for days now, all with little success.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Lying on her bed, she had her notebook out and the bottom of her pen pressing into her cheek. She had been trying to write for half an hour now, but for once the words wouldn't come. Whenever she had an idea of what she wanted to write, she could get it all down pretty quickly. Her mind worked well like that. This time, though, she was mostly stumped. She mostly had a jumble of words and ideas, with only a handful of couplets she could use as lyrics.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>You confuse me with the words and actions I've never seen</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>My heart beats like I'm dying and I don't know what it means</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>It scares me to believe that these feelings are real</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>And I don't know if I'm still the one behind the wheel</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>She shook her head, dropping her pen onto the notebook. It left a smudged mark, right between I'm and dying. That was ominous. Just as she thought that, her phone started buzzing. Sighing with relief, she slammed her notebook shut and grabbed her phone. The words she needed weren't coming, and she needed a break. Hopefully it was Yang done with her class so that they could get a jam session in. However, the number on her phone wasn't one she recognized.</p>
</div><div>
  <p><em>'Good morning, Ruby. This is Weiss. I got your number from your dopey blonde friend. Since I was not aware of which cabin you were staying in, I figured texting you would be the best way to get a hold of you. Would you like to meet by the lake in twenty minutes? Your prompt answer would be appreciated.' </em>Holy crap... Weiss was texting her?! First off, <em>Jaune! </em>Why would he give her her number?! Second, was Weiss actually inviting her to spend time by the lake? That sounded... <em>romantic</em>. Either that or she was going to end up sleeping with the fishes.</p>
</div><div>
  <p><em>'Yes. I'll see you there in twenty minutes.' </em>She barely even realized that she was accepting Weiss's offer until it was too late. Staring at her phone, she wondered what in the world she was doing. Talking to Weiss in class was one thing, but meeting with her alone? If Yang found out, she'd get a real stern talking to. She just couldn't say no, though. Something about Weiss kept drawing her in.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She changed out of her pajamas quickly, putting on a simple red t-shirt and black shorts. Something in her mind told her that if she dressed casually, it wasn't really like she was meeting Weiss for anything serious. Sure, it seemed out of the ordinary for someone like Weiss to invite her to something like this. It was already well-established that Weiss was a bigshot, and she was a... missed shot. She just wanted this to <em>mean </em>something, even if she wasn't quite sure what she wanted it to mean.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Keep it together, Ruby Tuesday," she muttered to herself as she left the cabin, slapping her cheeks and groaning at the slight sting. "This means nothing. Don't let your brain get the best of you. Remember who you are." As confident as she could manage, she made her way to the lake. She could already see Weiss there, wearing what appeared to be the same white dress she always wore. As she got closer, she could see it was a little different than before. It was a simpler design, but she made it work wonders.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Good morning, Ruby. How has your morning been?" She flashed Ruby a smile, which made her stomach do its little gymnastics tribute. Every time she saw Weiss smile naturally, she could <em>feel </em>it inside. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"It's been alright. How about yours?" Weiss started to walk down the winding lake, and Ruby followed her dutifully.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"It has been quite alright. A good night's rest is always important to keep your mental faculties working properly." Yeah, that didn't sound like something she needed to worry about. She couldn't help but laugh to herself until she saw something odd resting on the edge of the shore. There was a wooden rowboat, with a rope tied around it and nailed into the ground with a spike.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Uh, what's with the boat?" She had a feeling she knew what it was for, but she didn't want to be presumptuous. Why would there be a boat anyway? It wasn't like there was anything involving the water that they were allowed to do at camp. In fact, they had been told specifically that it'd be best for them to not go in the lake. Weiss really <em>was </em>important enough to flaunt the rules, huh?</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I like to spend time in new areas to get inspired for my writing. These cabins are stuffy and are not conducive to creativity." Huh... She had felt fine writing in her cabin, but she supposed it wouldn't be up to everyone's taste. "I feel that there will be more to think about on the lake. Shall we go?" Without waiting, she stepped into the boat, sitting down with her hands folded in her lap and looking expectantly up at Ruby.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Huh? But... why would you want to go out there with me?" There had to be plenty of other, better choices for Weiss to choose. She had her friends, or whatever random musician caught her eye, but she had chosen her. As much as she wanted to just get on the boat, no questions asked, she just had to know why.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Because of your lyrics, Ruby. The rest of the people here, they don't write as well as you do. They are vapid at best, and talentless more often than not. You're different, though. I want to see where your mind goes when you come out of that cabin." She should have been more cautious by the way Weiss so easily dismissed the talents of the other kids there. However, she was just floored and a bit bashful at the praise she was getting. It was so much more powerful.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"O-Okay..." She almost stepped into the boat, then remembered the stake. They wouldn't go anywhere with that in the ground. She pulled up the stake, then quickly stepped into the boat before it started drifting off. Her balance was a bit wobbly, but she was able to sit down before doing something stupid like tip the boat over. She wasn't used to being out on the water. "Uh..." She looked down at the bottom of the boat, noticing two oars lying beneath their feet.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Someone has to use the oars to paddle the boat." With her arms crossed, it was very clear whom Weiss thought should be paddling the boat. Ruby let out a sigh, reaching down and grabbing the oars. She had been tricked, hadn't she? Well, she'd walked right into it, so she couldn't be too mad. She put the oars in the water and started to paddle, grunting as she pushed them through the water.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Weiss instructed her to guide them to the other side of the lakebed, so at least she didn't have to paddle for long. There wasn't even much time to look at Weiss as she sat there, hands in her lap and looking really pretty. Her brain continued to yell at her, telling her that she was feeling <em>attraction</em>, then immediately chastising her for feeling attraction to someone so hateful. Why couldn't her brain just give her a break already?</p>
</div><div>
  <p>They made it to the other side, and naturally it was Ruby who pulled the boat up onto shore to make sure it didn't float away. Maybe she should have remembered to take that all-important stake... Wiping sweat off her forehead, she was really glad she had worn more casual, comfortable clothing, since she was pulling boats and all. She rolled her neck around, huffing in annoyance when it failed to crack. Then she saw Weiss was already moving on, and she hurried to follow her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>They kept walking for about a minute, with Ruby increasingly curious as to where they were going. Then, up ahead, she could see a bench next to a large square of concrete. There didn't seem to be anything else there, but it was clear there was <em>supposed </em>to be. Weiss took a seat on the bench, and Ruby sat down next to her. She watched as Weiss stuck a hand in the side of her dress, revealing there was a slim pocket in which she was keeping a small notebook.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I prefer to write my lyrics in isolation. It allows me to block out the distractions of life." She flipped through her notebook, pages filled with words passing by before Ruby could get a good look at them. It probably wasn't okay to peek at someone's lyrics, anyway. Weiss stopped on the first blank page she had, pulling out a tiny pen from the spiral and tapping it on the page. It really made her realize just how tiny Weiss was. Her hands were like a child's, almost. These were things to never say out loud.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yeah, I get that." Ruby pulled her own notebook out of the pocket of her shorts, thankful that she had thought to bring it along. She would've seemed out of place sitting there and twiddling her thumbs while Weiss was in her creative zone or whatever. "Sometimes there just isn't any place to be alone, though. Family and all."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yes, of course." She noticed a slight stiffening in Weiss's expression, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared. They fell into silence after that, with Weiss writing something in her notebook. She wanted to look over and see what Weiss was writing, but again: rude. She started tapping her foot against the ground, but the sound was loud thanks to the concrete beneath them, and she stopped before she got told off for being too loud. Finally, she decided she might as well try to write something.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>Is it fair to ask who you are</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>When I haven't reached that far?</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>I don't know how to take control</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>When I haven't seen your soul</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>She kept looking over at Weiss, watching her write. Her concentration was a lot better than her own. She couldn't help but keep looking up at her scar, faded across her fogged eye. Her curiosity just couldn't be satiated, but there was one question that rose above the others. Even more than what was on her face, she wanted to know what was in her heart, as cheesy as that sounded. She had to know about what the others had said about her. How could she bring that up with tact, though?</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hey, uh, Weiss?" She had Weiss's attention: now she just had to ask her question. That was easier said than done, though. It <em>would </em>be easy to ask <em>'Hey, do you hate the Faunus?'</em>, but that felt too direct. She had a right to know, though, right? As willing as she was to be friends with people, some would say desperately so, she didn't feel comfortable being around people who were bigoted. "I, uh... I heard that you, uh... you may have had a problem with... Well, uh, you see..."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ruby, stop." Weiss sighed, closing her notebook and fixing her with a weary stare. "You want to know how I feel about the Faunus, don't you?" She nodded meekly. "Of course," Weiss muttered, but she didn't dismiss the implication of the question. "I have issues with the Faunus, Ruby. They are terrorists, or they are terrorist sympathizers. The fact that there are multiple Faunus here at this camp makes me feel unsafe."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I... I don't understand." So it was true. Yang had told her the truth when she said Weiss was a bigot. She could scarcely believe it, even when she heard it right from Weiss's mouth. It just didn't vibe with the attitude she had shown around Ruby. Yes, she could be somewhat rude and dismissive, but not in such a specific way. "Why would you hate the Faunus?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Because they hate <em>us</em>, Ruby. They want us to fear them, and they will do whatever it takes to make that happen. That is why the White Fang exists." Ruby had heard of the White Fang before. She'd seen them on TV, and it was always bad. Admittedly, she didn't pay as much attention to the news as she maybe should have. It was so sad all the time, though. "They hate my father specifically, and they terrorize his companies and my family because of it. They have done things that you wouldn't understand."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"What have they done?" Her voice came out as a whisper. She was too curious now to just leave it at that. She <em>had </em>to know what had happened. However, maybe it was a mistake to ask. As soon as the question left her lips, Weiss visibly stiffened, looking away from her. "O-Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked-"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"What have they <em>not </em>done?" Weiss's tone was brusque, her head turning to stare right at Ruby. She couldn't stop looking at Weiss's blind eye, no matter how rude she knew it to be. Even with no sight left, it felt like she was really <em>seeing </em>her. "They've <em>killed </em>people, Ruby. They've tried to destroy my family's business." She lifted a hand up, pressing her index finger against the bottom of her scar. "They <em>ruined </em>me."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"They did that?" Her eyes went wide as she was invited to stare at Weiss's scar. So it was a Faunus who had done that. She had been so curious about how Weiss had gotten that scar, but she felt that now that she knew, she had dived into something a lot deeper than she'd expected.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"That's what I said." She crossed her arms, looking at Ruby like she had done something wrong. Maybe it was the whole 'bringing up old trauma' thing. "They grabbed me at school and took a knife to my face. If someone hadn't shown up when they did, I would be dead." Without looking at her, one could be forgiven for thinking Weiss was speaking casually about a traumatic event in her life. Sitting where she was, though, Ruby could see there was more to it than that. Weiss's hands were shaking, and she looked abnormally tense. It looked as if she was doing all she could to keep how she really felt inside, and it made Ruby's heart break for her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Did... Did they catch them? The ones who did that to you." She couldn't stop, though. As much as she wanted to just zip her lip and try to pretend this conversation never happened, she couldn't. The floodgates were opened, and she was drawn to every bit of information she could get. Her entire body felt cold.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"No. Those <em>animals </em>are still out there, and they never got justice for what they did to me. I..." She stopped, gripping the bottom of her dress tightly. It was like something was stuck in her throat, and she was having trouble swallowing it down. "I'm broken, Ruby. The sight I used to have in that eye will never return. I'm <em>damaged</em>, and I... I can't be fixed." Her eyes seemed to be getting wet, but she turned away abruptly, as if trying to save face.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Why would you say that?" In that moment, she forgot about their different standings. She forgot about how Weiss had just plainly admitted to her that she had biases against the Faunus. All she could think about was this girl sitting there was sad, and she couldn't stand to see it. To hear her say those things about herself was <em>wrong</em>. "You're not broken-"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I know what I am, Ruby!" She whirled right back around on Ruby, a fire in her normally-icy eyes. It made Ruby lean back, eyes wide and hands up, as if she needed to block an attack. "You don't know my life! You don't know my father! With this-" She jabbed her finger at her scar again. "-I am worth <em>nothing </em>to him. That doesn't matter, though. I will make my own path in life, regardless of how he feels about me." Ruby could read people decently well. Standing against the wall and watching other people socializing didn't give her much else to do. She could tell that Weiss was lying. She could almost <em>feel </em>the pain Weiss was feeling squeezing at her heart. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Don't say that, Weiss. You are <em>not </em>broken." She wasn't sure where her sudden boldness came from. Normally she would just nod and let the tension sit there on their shoulders, allowing herself to be squished down by its weight rather than put herself out there. Something about Weiss sitting there so vulnerable made her unable to keep silent. She leaned into Weiss's personal space, gently pressing the tip of her finger against the scar. "This? It's just a scar. It's nothing more than that."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'm <em>blind </em>in this eye, Ruby. There's nothing you or anyone else can do about that. It can't be fixed. <em>I </em>can't be fixed." She looked away from Ruby, off into a distance of rolling grasslands beyond the concrete. Ruby couldn't stand to hear what she had just said. She couldn't, and she wouldn't! </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You don't need to be fixed, Weiss. There is nothing about you that needs to be fixed. It's just a scar, okay? You're not <em>just </em>a scar. You're not <em>just </em>a blind eye. You're Weiss, and you're so much more than that." She was really close to Weiss now, dragging her finger down Weiss's cheek. They were so close, she could see the emotions swimming around her right eye. It suddenly made her feel self-conscious, and she pulled back, sitting back down with a light blush on her face. "And that's that."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I... suppose so." Weiss didn't seem to know what to make of what Ruby had said. She just sat there and stared at her for a full minute: Ruby knew because she kept glancing at her and then looking away in embarrassment. The next time she looked over, Weiss had opened her notebook again and was writing something down. Whatever it was, she was writing much faster than before. It was an admirable speed, though Ruby was concerned about the contents, considering it was happening right after the tough topic they had just talked about.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Reluctantly, she turned away and looked down at her own notebook. Immediately she was hit with feelings of <em>'Did I just say all of that?!' </em>Had she just stepped way out of line in what she had said to Weiss? She had just... started touching her scar and talking about super meaningful stuff. God, now she felt incredibly awkward. How was she going to come back from this one?</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She felt terrible for Weiss. What she had gone through was something she could only imagine, but it hurt her all the same <em>to </em>imagine it. Still, it didn't mean she wasn't a bigot. Hating all Faunus for what a specific group of them did wasn't right either. Now she had no idea how to proceed, and whatever crazy emotions her heart was trying to pound into her brain wasn't making it any easier.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>It was relieving when Weiss finally closed her notebook and said she wanted to go back. She just nodded, trying to hide her relief as she pocketed her notebook and followed Weiss back to the boat. Thinking about how she wanted to come to camp and be a new Ruby, one who was cool and chill and could make friends easily, seemed laughable now. All she wanted to do was hide under her bedsheets until Final Jam.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She was going to have to reckon with all this, but right now she needed less reckoning and more hiding under her covers and eating an entire bowl of strawberries until she passed out.</p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
  <p>For the next several weeks, Ruby was stuck attempting a difficult balancing act. She was spending her time hanging out with her group of friends, jamming and talking about the camp long into the night. However, there was <em>one </em>part she wasn't exactly keen on telling them. When she wasn't with them, odds were she was with Weiss. That little fact would probably make Yang feral.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Even though their little boat trip had turned incredibly awkward, Weiss still wanted to be around her for some reason. They mostly spent time together in their lyric-writing seminars, sharing lyrics and being more civil than she would have ever expected when they were first partnered up. Sometimes they even hung out afterwards, though it was usually somewhere farther off in the camp, where most people didn't go. That was relieving, as she didn't want to be set upon by Yang, Blake, or the others.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Of course, those worlds were bound to collide eventually. There was only so much campground to hide in, and she should have known better than to expect it to last the entire summer. She had been in denial, though, trying to protect both sides by preventing them from coming together. Selfishly, she was also protecting herself from having to make a tough decision. Knowing what to do when it came to music? Easy! When it came to people? Not so easy!</p>
</div><div>
  <p>That explained why she was standing by the lake between Weiss, Yang, and Blake, looking between the three of them in a panic as they glared at each other. She had been heading off with Weiss to find a quiet place to sit and talk, but they had been caught by Yang and Blake. They were supposed to be in class, but apparently that had finished early so they could hang up Final Jam posters. Both of their classes. Both of them specifically. What rotten luck.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ruby, what are you doing?! I told you about what kind of person she is!" Yang's words were whispered as she stood next to Ruby, barely letting her eyes leave Weiss for a second. Her entire body was tense, and Ruby recognized the signs of her trying to avoid resorting to using her fists. She didn't want that to happen for a multitude of reasons, but she felt powerless to stop it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I can <em>hear </em>you, you know?" Weiss crossed her arms, refusing to back down. "Since when do you make decisions for Ruby? Is she not capable of choosing who she hangs out with on her own?" That seemed to get to Yang, who wanted to argue the point but couldn't. At least, she couldn't in good faith. Both of her hands were curled into fists, and Ruby was becoming greatly concerned for Weiss's safety.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yang, I can explain," she whispered hurriedly, trying to defuse the tension. She knew how Yang could get when she was mad, but luckily she knew some coping mechanisms to try and help. "Please don't make a scene. Everybody deserves to be listened to, right?" She grabbed Yang's fists, gently stroking them with her hands. "Isn't Weiss part of everybody?" Her tone was as gentle as she could make it considering how panicked and anxious she was.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I... Rrr... Yeah..." Yang finally conceded that point, uncurling her fists and dropping her arms back to her sides. Ruby was able to breathe a quick sigh of relief, but Yang wasn't the only person there. "But still..." She looked over at Blake, and Ruby followed to see her glaring daggers at Weiss. Blake had been the quiet person in their group, which wasn't hard when half of them were Yang and Nora. Annoyance was something she dealt with often, but she had never seemed <em>mad</em>. This was mad.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"She can choose to be friends with whomever she wishes. We just want her to realize that there are people she is hurting by turning a blind eye to the things you say, and the things your family does." Ruby felt her heart drop at the tenseness on Weiss's face at the 'blind eye' comment. Whether it was intentional or not, it was a definite dig at her. The two of them kept glaring at each other, but it was Weiss who broke first. With a 'hmpfh', she turned on her heel and walked away.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"W-Wait, Weiss!" She looked desperately at Yang, who could only shrug. Even if she could be convinced that Weiss deserved to be thought of in a different light, she wasn't going to go against the whims of the girl she was clearly crushing on. Groaning, Ruby ran to catch up with Weiss, reaching her before she got too far. "Weiss, wait! I know that wasn't exactly great, but-"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You don't have to explain it to me, Ruby. I'm not a fool." She stopped and leveled Ruby with an icy glare. There was more to it than that, though. She could see something else in that expression: the slight twitch of her lips, pushed down into a resigned frown, and the lack of brightness in her good eye. "I would have to be a complete idiot to not notice the way others think of me. I... suppose I should thank you for even bothering to defend me."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Weiss..." What could she say? Honestly, it wasn't like she completely misunderstood Blake's intentions, considering she was a Faunus. She didn't know the depths of Weiss that Ruby did, though. "Uhm, well... Maybe you could... try to understand her point a little?" She cringed as Weiss shot her a withering glare, nearly tying her tongue by itself. "I-I mean, I know the Faunus have hurt you and your family, but that's just a small group, right? The White Fang isn't <em>all </em>the Faunus."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"How do you know when you see a good Faunus, Ruby? How do you know they don't support the White Fang? By the time you get that information, you might be dead." She didn't seem interested in arguing the point, especially when she was still heated from what Blake had said. Ruby was persistant though, if only because she felt like she was getting somewhere with Weiss. She had proven she could be a kind person, and a good friend. Ruby didn't want to lose that if she could help it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Well, how do you know when you see a <em>bad </em>Faunus? You can't just judge them like that." When she saw a crease between Weiss's eyebrows, she knew that she had hit some sort of mark. "I know you and Blake didn't exactly get along back there, but she's my sister's friend, and I don't want to have to choose between the two of you. You're really awesome, Weiss, and I just know they'll like you if you just explain how you feel."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Weiss went quiet for a minute, looking away from Ruby and towards the lake. Ruby waited for her to say something with baited breath. "I don't have to explain myself to anyone. It wouldn't change their minds anyway. People like them would never understand." Her shoulders drooped as she turned around, her back to Ruby. "Don't follow me, Ruby. You wouldn't want to upset your little friend group over there." Then she was walking away, and Ruby couldn't follow her. Her feet felt like lead.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Weiss..." Her quiet plea fell on deaf ears as Weiss kept walking away, until she went behind the farthest cabin and disappeared. Sighing deeply, she felt all the strength leave her body. She let herself go down to the ground, onto her knees and then on her back as she rolled over and stared up at the sky. Gray clouds were starting to move through the blue, covering the sun. That made sense.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Rubes?" Yang was in her vision now, looking down at her with concern. She just sighed and shrugged weakly, closing her eyes. She could hear the rustle of the grass next to her as Yang got down to lay by her side. "Hey, uh... Why were you defending Weiss back there? You're not agreeing with how she feels about the Faunus, are you?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"No, I'm not. She just... She's gone through a lot, okay?" It would be so much easier if she could just tell Yang what Weiss had told her, but that would be an invasion of privacy. While Weiss hadn't explicitly said she needed to keep it a secret, she could tell how personal it was for her to say any of that. She couldn't break that trust so soon after getting it. "It's not something I can tell others, even you. It's personal."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I guess I can understand that." Yang sighed deeply, and when Ruby looked over she was staring up at the clouds too. "This is a lot to take in, Ruby, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You're not the kind of person to turn someone away without giving them a chance. That's not a bad thing either." She laughed, letting her eyes fall shut as she spread her arms out wide, her left arm lying across Ruby's torso. "We could all learn to be a bit more like you."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yaaang, get your arm off me!" She pushed Yang's arm off her, but she started laughing when Yang immediately flopped it back down on her. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this, but I know how you feel about her, and you were always going to defend Blake. You're in luuuv." She stuck out her tongue as she said that, at least glad that the two of them kept their hands to themselves while she was in the cabin.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"And you're not? Don't tell me you feel <em>nothing</em> for Weiss." Ruby wanted to tell her exactly that, but she couldn't. The more she thought about it, the more she recognized Yang's mannerisms in her own interactions with Weiss. She could easily get lost staring at Weiss, and time flew by much faster when the two of them were together. She thought about how pretty Weiss was and how nice it was to spend time with her. Not to mention the crazy stunts her heart pulled whenever they were near each other.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"We... are friends. And you can be friends with her too. In a friendly way. Like friends are." Yang snorted, covering her mouth as she laughed. "Don't laugh! We're friends! Well... I don't know if we are now." The mood soured for her as she sighed, sinking back down into the grass. "She didn't want me to follow her. I just want everyone to like each other..."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You're gonna be waging an uphill battle with that one, sis, but... I do support you. I know you wouldn't be friends with someone for no reason, so I trust you. If I can help, just let me know." Hearing that made Ruby's heart swell with happiness, and she rolled over so she could hug Yang tightly. It wasn't easy, since Yang was lying down, but she made it work.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Don't worry, Yang. I'm gonna figure something out before Final Jam, and then we'll all rock the house together! It's gonna be great!" She wasn't sure how she was going to bring Weiss and Blake together, but she had to believe it was possible. If it wasn't, then she was in for a very awkward last month of camp.</p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
  <p>It was pouring rain, which made all classes become optional. Ruby was one of those kids who decided to stay in her cabin rather than brave the weather to take another guitar lesson, even if she might've needed it. Besides, there was only one thing she would brave the weather to do. She stared out the window, sighing softly as she tugged on her boots.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"This is really unnecessary, Ruby. You can't change how she feels about my kind." Blake was standing next to Ruby's bed, arms crossed. She had been trying to convince Ruby that her mission was futile ever since she announced she was heading to Weiss's cabin. "Besides, it's pouring rain. You're going to catch a cold."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I have my big umbrella, so I'll be fine!" She whipped out her umbrella, catching the wrist strap on her fingers and spinning it around. It looked small, but it was deceptive: there was more than enough room beneath the umbrella proper for two people, and she was hopeful that it would be put to good use that day. "And it's necessary to me, Blake. You're my friend, and Weiss is my friend. I'm going to get you two to talk civily no matter what!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I can't promise you anything..." Blake sighed, but she could tell she wasn't going to dissuade Ruby. Yang seemed to be tacitly approving of what she was doing, so there wouldn't be any help coming from her. And then there was Nora, who had little idea what was going on but was very interested in it all the same.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'll take it!" Waving goodbye, Ruby flung open the cabin door and set out. She popped her umbrella open and shut the door behind her, heading for Weiss's cabin. As soon as she stepped out from beneath the porch awning, the rain started pounding her umbrella. Even though the weather was bad, she actually found it pretty nice. She even stood there for a moment to enjoy the smell of the rain and the sight of it falling around her. There was little time to waste, though, so soon she was off again.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She knocked on Weiss's door before she had a chance to stand there and contemplate if she was doing the right thing. It was probably better to let her instincts take over rather than her brain, but even her brain would probably come around to knowing this was the right thing to do. To her, it was too important to let things stay as they were. She wanted <em>all </em>of them to get along, because she couldn't stand the thought of those closest to her not liking someone the way she did.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Weiss opened the door, her eyes wide when she saw Ruby standing there. "Ruby, what in the world are you doing here? It's pouring rain. Besides, I thought I told you to stay away from me." For a moment, seeing Ruby there seemed to make her forget that she was trying to keep the two of them apart. Once she remembered, it was about too late to shut the door in her face.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You did, but I can't stay away from you." That answer seemed to be funny, as Weiss's cabinmates begin to laugh. She wasn't sure why that was funny, but she decided it was best to ignore them. "I don't want us to not be friends. I want everything to be good between all my friends. You're all important to me." She could see Weiss thinking it over, and she held her arm behind her back to cross her fingers.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"While that's a nice thought, your <em>Faunus </em>friend does not feel the same way." The way she said 'Faunus' made Ruby feel uncomfortable. She understood why Weiss felt the way she did, but it was a bit much, even for her. Not all the Faunus were like those who had hurt her. She couldn't imagine Blake doing something like that, for instance.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Please, Weiss? If I can just sit you two down in the same room, I'm sure you two will understand. Pleeease?" She gave Weiss her very best puppy dog eyes: the ones she used when she wanted Yang to take her to the comic book shop on her motorcycle. It seemed that Yang wasn't the only one they worked on, as Weiss was getting worn down by them.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Fine, but I hope you realize this is a worthless endeavor. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to put on my boots." She beamed as she watched Weiss shut the door, then open it back up with a pair of pristine white boots on her feet. How did she keep her stuff so white? All her own white clothes and shoes would just get stained and scuffed up. "I suppose we're sharing your umbrella?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yup! This baby is big enough for both of us!" She stepped into the sodden grass, under the umbrella and leaving room for Weiss to follow suit. Rolling her eyes, Weiss complied, stepping beneath it and following Ruby back to her cabin. "I know this is going to work. Believe me, Weiss, I'm sure the two of you aren't as different as you might think. Blake reads a lot and is really smart, and you're also super smart."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Flattery will get you nowhere, Ruby." She said that, but she was quickly standing closer to Ruby. Close enough to where she hooked an arm around Ruby's, their sides brushing together. Ruby nearly tripped over her boots. "I don't want to get wet," Weiss added, trying to explain her reason for being so close to her. There was enough room under the umbrella for them to not stand <em>that </em>close, though.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"O-Of course..." She wasn't going to argue with Weiss. She wasn't going to be able to do much talking in general when she was sure she was about to have a heart attack. It was just like when she first saw Weiss standing by the lake, but five times as powerful. She could barely see straight, and it made things harder when she was trying to not show Weiss that she was having those problems. It wasn't love, though. It absolutely was not love. She was not interested in love, even if it was towards someone as amazing as Weiss. No sirree bob.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>That didn't stop her heart and brain from double-teaming her will, and by the time they reached her cabin she was completely out of sorts. She almost pullled the umbrella off of them before they were even on the porch, but she stopped herself just in time. She instead reached over and unlocked the door, letting Weiss go in first before she closed the umbrella and stepped inside.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She could already feel the tension between Weiss and Blake as soon as she got inside, but she tried her best to downplay it as she removed her boots. Someone, probably Blake, had left a towel across the floor, allowing them to leave their wet shoes there. That was nice of her. She propped her umbrella up between her boots and stood next to Weiss, two tiny girls facing off against two taller girls. They did not have the height advantage, but they surely had the... spirit advantage!</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Why don't we have a nice talk, huh?" Ruby started, trying to appear more calm than she actually was. Weiss and Blake were glaring at each other, and that wasn't boding well for the future of their conversation. Maybe if they were both blindfolded, it might help. She looked at Yang desperately, silently begging for her help. Yang had always been the better mediator of the two. And the better fighter.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"C'mon you two, don't start a fight in front of Nora." Nora waved from the bed, her attention glued on the scene in front of her. Yang placed a hand on Blake's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "You two don't even know each other. You only <em>think </em>you know each other, right? Let's just sit down and talk about... whatever we're supposed to talk about. Our feelings?" She looked over at Ruby, who gave her a thumbs up. "Yeah, our feelings. Lame..."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I hardly think that's necessary." Weiss tried to remain stubborn, but she made the mistake in looking at Ruby's puppy dog eyes. They were eyes that could not be denied: even the most hardened soul would break eventually. "Darn it... Alright, <em>fine</em>. We shall talk, then. But I'm doing this under protest." She sat down on the closest bed to her, which happened to be Ruby's. Ruby sat next to her, rubbing her leg for support.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"At least that's <em>something </em>we can agree on." Blake took a seat on Yang's bed, crossing her legs and placing her hands on her knees. Yang jumped onto the bed, dramatically flopping down onto her back. "Hopefully this will be the <em>only </em>time we have to do this."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Sooo..." Ruby was quickly beginning to sweat. She had been so gung-ho about making this happen that she forgot a key component: the reason behind Weiss's visceral reaction towards the Faunus. It had been hard enough for Weiss to tell her what had happened, and now she would have to tell three other people? That sounded majorly uncomfortable, and she'd feel put on the spot in Weiss's position too. "I think we can agree the Faunus aren't all bad, right? Most of them are good! Like Blake, who's really cool and smart!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Ruby." She was almost about to be excited about that, but Blake wasn't smiling, and that excitement was dashed. "This is wasted on someone like her. She's prejudiced against <em>all </em>Faunuses. Her whole family is. Sitting here with me isn't going to change her mind, nor is it going to change mine."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I am <em>not </em>prejudiced!" Weiss retorted, leaning forward with her arms crossed stiffly. "I just do not tolerate criminals, and the White Fang are criminals. Do the Faunus not support their local terrorist group anymore, hmm?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"The White Fang do not represent all of the Faunus! Not every one of us believes in solving our problems through violence, even if some of <em>your </em>kind deserve it." Oh boy, it was going really well. Ruby was sweating bullets now, grabbing onto Weiss and trying to hold her back as she visibly tensed up.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Excuse me?! You think those board members deserved death? That I-" She clammed up instantly upon realizing what she was about to say, her eyes wide as she sat up straight. Ruby frowned deeply, glancing between her and Blake as she started to rub Weiss's back. She looked over at Yang to see if she could offer any more help, but she seemed to take the wrong message from that.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Was that how you got your scar?" Ah, way to be blunt, Yang. That question seemed to suck the air out of the room, at least on Ruby's side. Somehow Weiss got even tenser, a hand automatically reaching up to touch her scar. Then she pulled it back down, folding her hands in her lap and looking like she was trying to find an escape.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"That's... actually rather inappropriate, Yang. You shouldn't ask a victim what happened to them." Ruby's jaw dropped when she heard those words come out of Blake's mouth. It <em>sounded </em>right, but towards Weiss? It seemed that she wasn't the only one, as the other girls were looking just as shocked. Even Nora, who probably had no idea what was happening. "What? My feelings about Weiss don't matter in this instance. She was a victim of something, and it's her business whether or not to disclose it."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I... appreciate that." Weiss still seemed confused about how that had turned out, but she wasn't stubborn enough to not take it. She eased up, and Ruby was able to breathe a sigh of relief. "I will say that I cannot control what my father does with the SDC. Not <em>yet</em>, anyway," she added with a frustrated mumble. "I do not condone everything he has done with my family's company, but I'm still his heiress despite..." She didn't say it, but Ruby knew why, and her heart went out to her. "I can't go against him yet, or I'll lose everything."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I suppose I know what that's like." Blake wasn't looking at Weiss, appearing to be losing herself in her own thoughts. "When you know someone is doing something wrong, but you can't escape them..." Whatever she was talking about remained with her, as she pulled away from the topic instantly. "So you admit that your father is doing something wrong?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Of course I do! I'm not <em>completely </em>blind!" That got a laugh out of Yang, who was finally able to recover from almost obliterating the conversation. "If I called him out for the terrible things he's done, you know what would happen? I would be stripped of my inheritance and disowned. Then there would be <em>nothing </em>I could do to change things." For once, Blake actually looked chastised. She started rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly, fidgeting on the bed.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You don't think your family's company is too corrupt to be saved?" The two of them were talking in front of Ruby, Yang, and Nora, but it felt like they were speaking like they were the only ones in the room now.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I don't believe that. If I did, then there wouldn't be any point to keep being part of my family. I'm going to continue blazing my own path, and someday I <em>will </em>make things right." She spoke with so much confidence that Ruby couldn't help but believe her wholeheartedly. Even if she didn't have a complete clue as to what was being talked about, she was so down for it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"That's... That's really honorable of you." That seemed to spark something in Blake, though she semed intent on keeping it to herself. "It's more than I gave you credit for. I apologize for that." She stared off into the unknown, sighing softly. "You're right about the White Fang. They were a good group once, bent on bringing equality to the Faunus through peace. Now that's just a distant memory..." It felt like there was a lot more to it than that, but like before, Blake kept it close to the vest.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yes, I suppose that logically not <em>all </em>Faunus could be like I thought they were." Ruby could feel the tension lifting from the room, and her spirts rose with it. She smiled as she hugged Weiss tightly, which got her a stern reprimanding for hugging her without asking first. All the while, Nora was heading over from her side of the room, jumping between the four of them with a shout of declaration.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"That was awesome! I mean, I have <em>no </em>idea what either of you are talking about, but it was great! We're all friends now!" She held out her hands to both parties, who simultaneously rolled their eyes and refused to take them. "Aww, lame! Yang? Hug me, sister?" Laughing, Yang hopped off the bed and scooped Nora up in a tight hug, making her squeal with joy. Ruby covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She was sure things weren't perfect, and they likely wouldn't be perfect before camp ended. This was what she was hoping for, though: understanding and some semblance of peace. She could hang her hat on that. </p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
</div><div>
  <p>Final Jam had finally reached them. Ruby had been shaking with excitement for an entire week, and it only got worse the closer they got. She could barely sleep, and she kept going over her guitar tabs repeatedly. The lyrics that she had written so carefully felt terrible in her mind suddenly, and she had to be talked down by Yang before she rewrote the entire thing two days before the jam.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She had to remember that these were special lyrics. For the first time, she had collaborated with someone. Normally she would never let someone else touch her lyrics, for fear of them ruining her message, but she knew she could trust Weiss. When Weiss had agreed to join their band as the singer, she had been over the moon. Not only had things with Weiss and Blake gone well enough that something like that could happen, but they had an official singer for their band! One whose voice was <em>amazing</em>!</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Getting to spend more time with Weiss without having to worry about appearances became the highlight of her time at the camp. She'd never cared for all those 'appearances' things, and she was happy that Weiss stopped caring as well. Getting to sit by the fountain and strum her guitar while Weiss sang made her heart feel some pretty strong things. It was becoming more of a question if Yang was right: was she <em>really </em>feeling romantic towards Weiss? Even now, she still wanted to deny it, but it was becoming increasingly harder to.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She tried to rationalize it by thinking that she just wasn't used to having close friends. That wasn't wrong, but even she knew that it was more than that. There were only so many times she could deny it before she had to admit that she was being ridiculous. What was she supposed to do about it, though? She didn't know anything about love! In times like these, there was only one person she could turn to: Yang.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"So, you love Weiss, huh? I knew it. I told you day one, remember? Score one for the Yangarang." The two of them were sitting by the fountain, Yang scarfing down a burger from the cafeteria and Ruby frowning in embarrassment. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"C'mon Yang," Ruby sighed, looking around to make sure Weiss wasn't approaching. It would be real embarrassing if Weiss heard them talking about her in such a way. "I'm serious here. I don't know what to do! It can't be love, right? I don't care about that stuff!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yes, you've mentioned that about a dozen times." Yang smirked, wrapping an arm around Ruby's shoulders and pulling her closer. "Doesn't your heart race when she see her, though? You can't think of anything but her, and you start wanting to do crazy things to impress her." After a moment of hesitation, Ruby slowly nodded. All of those things were true, and she'd felt them all constantly. "You've got feelings for her, Rubes. Why do you not want that?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I... I don't know! It feels weird, okay?" She didn't know the first thing about romance. She didn't know about going on dates or professing her undying love. All of that was real adult, and she wasn't ready for that. She was still trying to get through high school and write her meaningful lyrics and stuff. Thinking of getting into a relationship, like her parents, or how Yang talked about Blake, was terrifying. "What am I supposed to do?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Just tell Weiss you like her, and ask her out. Believe me, working up the courage to do it is a <em>lot </em>worse than actually doing it. It's like..." She tapped her pointer finger against her chin, then snapped her fingers as she remembered something important. "Remember when we went to that theme park and you were so scared to ride the rollercoaster?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I thought I told you to never bring that up." Ruby groaned at the memory of trying to go on that rollercoaster. She had never been more scared in her life, and nobody needed to know that had happened. As far as anyone knew, Ruby Rose had no fears, darn it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Okay, but remember how fun it was?" Okay, yeah, it had been an amazing experience, and they'd ended up riding that coaster two more times afterwards. "It was scary while waiting, but you had a great time when we actually got on it. That's just like asking a girl out! It's scary, thinking that they'll reject you or something, but that's why you gotta go up to her and ask before you can talk yourself out of it. You'll thank me for this one."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"And if she says no?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Then you will never find me." Ruby laughed, pushing her shoulder into Yang's side. She was right, though. Thinking about confessing to Weiss that she had feelings for her was making her go crazy. It was tough to deny that she had those feelings, though. She was only denying it as a lie.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ugh, okay, I'll say something before camp ends. I don't wanna do it before Final Jam. It'll be distracting." God, was she really gonna do that? She had told Yang she was, but she couldn't be sure knowing herself. At least she had until the end of Final Jam to say anything. Yup, two whole days. What had she just agreed to? "Wait, have <em>you </em>even confessed to Blake?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"That is irrelevant."</p>
</div><div>
  <hr/>
  <p>Her body was brimming with anxious excitement. She had her guitar slung over her shoulder, practicing a few chords. Her fingers kept shaking, though, and she finally had to let her guitar hang there as she pushed her fingertips into her hips. This was not the time to start losing her cool. Her band was about to perform, so she needed to be ready to shred her little heart out. She'd been practicing constantly, she'd written the lyrics with Weiss, and she'd even come up with the band name: RWBY. She <em>had </em>to be ready.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>At least she wasn't the only one who was nervous. Weiss had their lyrics practically glued to her face, pacing around in a circle she was trying to burn into the floor. Yang was tossing her drumsticks up into the air, catching them, then repeating it. Eventually she dropped her drumsticks and she just sunk onto the floor, slapping at it with her hands as if she'd gone mad. Only Blake seemed to be doing okay, sitting on the ground and apparently meditating.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Alright you four, you're up next." One of the counselors popped in, giving them a thumbs up before heading off. Ruby stared after them, then slapped her cheeks hard. It was almost time, and she had to be ready. She looked over at her three bandmates, and saw them all psyching themselves up as well. Even Blake had stood up, focusing on the bass now in her hands. Seeing all of that made her smile. She wasn't going to have to do this alone. She had a band: she had <em>friends</em>.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The performers before them finished up, and RWBY was up next. Taking a deep breath, she led the way onto the stage, but froze when she saw all the people out there. Every one of the kids at the camp, as well as the counselors were sitting or standing, ready to watch them perform. She saw Jaune, Nora, and Ren in the audience, giving them a thumbs up. Her parents were even there, and she was hit with enough stage fright to knock an elephant over. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"What's the matter, Ruby?" She blinked, realizing she had been spacing out. Yang had taken her place behind the drum kit every group had to use, flicking her drumsticks up into the air. Blake was standing at the side of the stage, staring off into the void. Which meant it was Weiss talking to her. She found Weiss standing next to her, looking at her with concern. Had she ever seen Weiss look at her like that?</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"There's a lot of people," she murmured, trying to focus on Weiss instead of the crowd. While social anxiety was wrapped around her entire life, she had never expected it to be this bad. She thought it'd be like presenting in front of her classes: uncomfortable but manageable once she got into the groove. Now she was definitely <em>not </em>feeling groovy.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"This? This is no big deal." That was easy for Weiss to say with her popularity. This wasn't something she had even come close to dealing with before. "They're all here to listen to what you wrote. Isn't that what you wanted?" Well <em>yeah</em>, but couldn't they... hide behind a curtain or something? "Snap out of it, Ruby! You know the rest of us need you right now, right?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yeah, but- wait, really? Even you?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Of course, you dolt! I'm singing our lyrics, aren't I?" A blush started forming on Weiss's cheeks, very noticeable with how pale she was. Ruby enjoyed the sight a bit more than she should've, but it helped her to know that Weiss specifically needed her. Even if it wasn't intended that way, she was happy to take it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You're right. Thanks Weiss." She wanted to hug her, but her guitar was in the way, so she settled on a smile before heading over to the front of the stage. There were two microphone stands, so she stood by the one on the left side of the stage. Weiss stood in the center, pulling the microphone out of its stand and holding it close to her chest. Okay, it was time for action. She took a deep breath as she heard Yang counting down behind her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Four, three, four three two one!" She clacked her drumsticks together with each number, then slammed them down on the drumkit. Ruby's ears were filled with the sounds of her drumming, then the plucking of Blake's bass. She counted the beats in her head, tapping her foot on the stage. As soon as she came in with her guitar, she heard Weiss's melodic voice reaching every corner of the building.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>Words that I write on my mirror</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>Couldn't become any clearer</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>Scrawled on my reflection's face</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>Reminding me of my place</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Slowly but surely, Ruby was becoming less anxious. She could look at the crowd and not want to hide behind the drumkit. Smiling, she began to really put her all into the guitar, using all of the lessons she had taken over the summer to strum her chords to perfection.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>Even with two eyes</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>I struggled to realize</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>To see through your disguises and lies</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>You've become my demise</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>She looked over at Weiss, noticing that she seemed to keep glancing at one spot in the audience in particular. Though she kept looking that way, she couldn't figure out what Weiss was looking at, and thinking about it too hard risked her slipping up in her guitar playing. She was sure it was fine, and put her concentration back into her fingers. At least, she <em>had </em>been sure, but when she heard Weiss's voice hitch in the microphone, she was less sure.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>When she looked over at Weiss this time, she could see her still looking at the same spot as before. This time, however, she looked like she was about to cry. Looking over at the area again, this time she <em>did </em>see something new: a woman with snow-white hair standing up and stumbling out of the room. Was she related to Weiss? Before she could run through that train of thought, she saw Weiss turn around and start walking towards the center of the stage. Her entire body was shaking.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yang, drum solo!" she called out above the noise, seeing Blake and Yang staring at her in confusion. To her credit, Yang didn't hesitate to go completely crazy on the drums, allowing her a chance to talk to Weiss. "Weiss, what's wrong? What happened?" She leaned in close to Weiss so she could be heard over the drums, really getting to see the sadness all over her face.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"My mother was here," Weiss whispered, so quiet that Ruby had to practically press her ear to Weiss's lips to hear her. "She finally came to see me perform, and... and she was <em>drunk</em>. She was drunk like always, and she just left!" Tears were forming in Weiss's eyes, sending Ruby's panic into overdrive. "Why am I even doing this, Ruby? My father has <em>never </em>cared about me, and my mother is... is not even here anymore."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'm sorry, Weiss..." Understanding people's problems was not a skill Ruby held. She was terrible at it, quite frankly. If there was ever a moment for her to try, however, it was now. "I don't know what's going on with you and your mom, and I won't pretend to. I can't possibly imagine, but I know you love doing this. The lyrics you write are passionate, and they're <em>you</em>. You're doing this because it's what you love, and nobody else should be allowed to stop it. Not even your parents."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ruby..." Weiss sighed, wiping her tears away. "I wanted my mother to see that I can do something outside of my father's influence. She doesn't even care, though. She couldn't even come over sober..." This was a deep well of misery that Ruby couldn't even imagine dipping her toes into. They were just scratching the surface there, but there wasn't time to go deeper. She couldn't imagine Weiss would want to have a deep discussion on her mom's drinking habits in front of everyone.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"It must mean a lot to you, Weiss. I'm sorry, I really am. You're not alone here, though. I'm here for you. Blake and Yang are too. We're all here for you." She smiled, placing a reassuring hand on Weiss's shoulder. "I need you, Weiss. To tell your story like only you can. To be by my side up there on stage and keeping me from having a panic attack. To be <em>you</em>, Weiss Schnee, and no one else." That seemed to do it, as she could see warmth returning to Weiss's eyes.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Are you really?" There was a touch of hesistance still left, which disappeared when Ruby nodded emphatically. "Thank you, Ruby. I'll... I'll do my best." Determination had taken up the spaces where her sadness had been, and she started to head back towards the microphone stand. Feeling her heart doing a series of flips, she shot Yang a thumbs up before hurrying back to her own spot.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>You left me to live in your winding halls</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>But no longer will I continue to crawl</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>If I have to move past your memory</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>Then that's the way it'll have to be</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Her voice was stronger than it was before. She was putting all of her inner power into it, drawing from her renewed energy. Ruby was elated to hear it, but she couldn't let herself get drawn in too much. Her fingers wouldn't bother to move if she was too busy enjoying Weiss's voice. Besides, she had more to concentrate on than her guitar playing. Despite her reservations about her own voice, she had a part to sing too, and she couldn't let Weiss down. Oh, and Blake and Yang either. Those two as well.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>(I can't end up being nothing</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>I have to become something</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>I want to be a source of pride</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>And not something that makes you hide)</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>I want to be more (I want to be more) than you could possibly think</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>I want to take (take this life) to the edge of the brink</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>And if my way is what's next in store</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>(I'll be the best I can be) You won't see me anymore</em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>After the last strum of Ruby's guitar, she could hear Yang come down on the drums with a final clash. She took a moment to breathe, wiping away the sweat that had formed on her forehead. Then the room erupted in cheers. She was almost blown off her feet by how loud the cheers were, making her feel like she was actually on a concert stage in a massive auditorium. Her eyes immediately sought out her parents, who were cheering louder than anyone. She could feel tears stinging her eyes as she beamed with pride.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Looking over her shoulder, she could see Yang raising her arms in triumph, smiling brightly her way. Even Blake, who was the most emotionally closed off, couldn't help but smile at the reception they'd gotten. Then her eyes drifted to Weiss, who was looking right back at her. She could see the same tears and the same smile she felt on her own face reflected back at her. She went right over and hugged Weiss, laughing in the thrill of triumph. Her guitar was in the way, but she made it work.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Don't hug me in front of everyone, you dolt!" She didn't seem mad, though. It was hard to believe that she was when she was smiling so genuinely. Ruby wanted to hug her even harder, but she also didn't want to smash her guitar strings. So she settled for the hug they had, finally pulling away to soak in the adulation. She had never felt so alive!</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"That. Was. Awesome!" The four of them had left the stage, shaking with excitement even after the cheers had died down. Yang was obviously the most vocal, but Ruby wasn't far behind. Now that she could put her guitar down, she was whooping it up with her sister, jumping, cheering, and hugging each other. Blake and Weiss stood a distance away to avoid being drawn into their boundless energy, rolling their eyes fondly.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I think we did quite satisfactory." Of course, Weiss had to be normal with her praise of their efforts. Looking at each other, Ruby and Yang grinned before wrapping Weiss up in a group hug. "H-Hey! Unhand me, you dolts!" She squirmed around in their grasp, but their laughter was contagious, and soon she was laughing along with them. "This does <em>not </em>mean I condone such public displays of affection."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Alright, I believe it's time we announce the winner." Ms. Goodwitch's voice reached behind the stage, and all four of them were instantly alert. They hurried out the side, standing along the wall to hear what the results were. "I'm proud of every single one of you. You took to this stage with aplomb, and all of you showed the spirit of what Camp Rock is about. Regardless of who wins, I want you all to know just how proud I am of you."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Boilerplate stuff," Weiss muttered before being shushed by Yang.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"And now, for the winner." She held off for dramatic effect, which only made the four of them - and likely the rest of the students - antsy as all hell. "I am proud to give the prize for this year's Final Jam - a full song recording in a professional studio for those who don't remember - to RWBY!" The cheers from the other students hit Ruby before the news did. She was still stunned even when she felt Yang's hands threatening to dislocate her shoulders.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"We won!" Yang's ecstatic shouts rang in her ears, but she was still staring wide-eyed into nothing. Before the summer began, she hadn't even believed she'd get to go to Camp Rock. Not only had she made it, but she had just won the Final Jam. She had made friends and put her words out there for a bunch of people to hear, and they cheered for her. For them.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"We... We did." She was slowly snapping out of it, but it wasn't until she saw Weiss looking so prideful that she finally came back to reality. "We won! We did it!" She practically jumped on Weiss, hugging her for all she was worth.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Boundaries, Ruby! Boundaries!" They were eventually pulled apart by Yang, who was trying to drag both of them onto the stage to accept their little trophies. Now that she was aware of <em>everything, </em>Ruby couldn't stop grinning. She was this close to rushing the stage and babbling out thank yous to anyone she could think of, but Yang kept her from making a fool of herself.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The four of them stood on stage together, looking out over an audience that was cheering loudly for them. Ruby felt dizzy, but it was a good kind of dizzy. She could look out over the audience and not feel like the walls were closing in on her. The world felt like it was on her side, and that gave her the kind of stupid confidence she needed to say something important to Weiss.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Weiss, I know this is really sudden, but I think I like you. I mean, of course I like you, because you're really cool and you're my friend. But what I mean is that I really like you. My heart does really weird things when I'm around you, and I don't know what it means, but Yang said I'm in love with you. That's crazy, right? I mean, it's not crazy, because you're very lovable, but I don't really know what all this love stuff is, and maybe you do, but-"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ruby." Weiss's voice cut through her inane babbling, and she stopped instantly, tilting her head and waiting for what Weiss had to say. "Shut up." Oh, okay, yeah, that made sense. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but don't use so many words. What are you trying to say?" The blush on her face showed that she at least had an idea about what Ruby was getting at, though. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Alright, less words, got it." That should be easy for her, but she tended to babble when she was nervous. Either that or freeze up completely: there was no in-between. "Weiss, I like you. I think I really like you. Would you want to, like... uh, go on a... date or something?" She tapped her fingers together nervously, looking at Weiss for any sign of confirmation or rejection.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Ruby, you know we live in different regions, right? Atlas isn't a place you can just travel to and from freely. Besides, there are many... other issues." She didn't expand on those issues, but she seemed uncomfortable with whatever it was. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yeah, I know." She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, having not exactly thought of all the issues there could be. "But I'm okay with that! It's not like there's anyone else I wanna go on a date with. We could call each other and stuff, and I'm sure I can save up enough eventually to come see you. I-If you want, of course." She held her breath, wondering if that had been enough to convince her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Well, I... I suppose there isn't anyone else I'd want to go on a date either. You're certainly more fun to be around than the sons of businessmen my father knows." She shuddered at the thought. "We can try it, if that's acceptable." Ruby nodded hard. That was more than acceptable! "But! On on condition: you do <em>not </em>hug me in front of all these people. Wait until we're backstage."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I can do that!" She could barely do that. The need to hug was great. It was only then that she realized they were all still on stage, and the cheering was dying down. Blake was looking at the two of them with a strange look, while Yang wasn't even trying to hide her grin. Even Ms. Goodwitch had heard what she had asked, and she was just trying to get them off the stage before they caused a scene. Oh boy...</p>
</div><div>
  <p>At least now she could go backstage and hug her new girlfriend! God, that was going to take some getting used to...</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Honestly, a moment to use Ilia never came up. I also wanted to have a moment where Weiss catches Ruby working in the kitchen, like in the movie, but it didn't flow well. That was a different version of the vision I had for this fic. I also wanted to have their boat accidentally tip over while coming back, but I realized that would soil their lyric books, so... maybe don't do that.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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